


Match

by darkestnights



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Omega Katsuki Yuuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-08-01 15:58:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16287539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkestnights/pseuds/darkestnights
Summary: For the thousandth time, Yuuri Katsuki wished that he was a beta. If he were, he wouldn't be sitting at the Match Ceremony, waiting to be matched to the alpha deemed most compatible with him.





	1. Chapter 1

It was raining. Fitting, Yuuri thought as he stared out the window, that it would be raining on the day his freedom was to be ripped away.

It was Match day, an annual ceremony in which the alphas and omegas that had turned twenty since the previous year’s ceremony would be matched.

For the thousandth time, Yuuri wished that he was a beta. He should have been - both of his parents were.

The match ceremonies had begun a hundred years ago when worldwide birth rates had started their decline. The reason? The betas. Betas mating with alphas and omegas. Betas, who were unable to take knots, whose chances of conceiving with the other two secondary genders were much lower than the ‘ideal’ pair of an alpha and omega. 

The final push was that on top of declining birth rates, over three fourths of the children being born were betas. Alpha and omega populations were on the decline.

The nation of Hasetsu decided that they must do something. Thus, the match ceremonies began. Each omega would be paired with an alpha deemed most compatible. There were always more alphas than there were omegas, but the unmatched alphas that hadn’t been called to the ceremony weren’t free of their duty. The unmatched would be paired with an omega the following year if they weren’t picked.

Ever since Yuuri had presented as an omega at fourteen he had been dreading his match day. His stomach was in knots as his mother pulled into the parking spot in front of the capitol building. He’d had at least three anxiety attacks in the past week thinking about this day - he was trying to hold it together, but he felt himself beginning to shake.

Looking around, he knew he wasn’t alone in his dread. Pale faces and sad eyes surrounded him, most of them unfamiliar. Alphas and omegas from every part of the country had to come to the match ceremony. That was another thing - the omega had to leave with their alpha. There were two suitcases in the trunk of their car, just in case. If his alpha wasn’t from his town, he’d have to leave his parents behind. He hoped that if it came to that, his alpha would be nice enough to let him visit. But what if-

“Come, come, Yuuri,” his mother, Hiroko, said, putting a warm hand on his shoulder and breaking him out of his spiraling thoughts. “Don’t worry, everything will be okay.”

He tried to clear his mind as followed her inside. “You’re lucky you never had to do this.”

Betas were allowed to be with any other beta they wanted - unfortunate for those that fell in love with another secondary gender. If you were a beta, it didn’t matter how much you loved another alpha or omega and they loved you - you couldn’t be together; the law wouldn’t allow it.

“You never know, Yuuri,” Hiroko gave him a sad smile. “You could love your match. Whoever it may be, promise me that you will give them a chance to make you happy.”

He nodded, and remained silent at his mothers side as he was checked in. Eventually he was pulled away from her and pushed into a line of omegas preparing to be paraded into the huge ballroom. That was how he read this would go - the omegas would come in and sit down on one side of the room, across from the alphas that were already seated. Then, the head of the match council would begin the ceremony with a speech before reading out the matches. As each couple had their names called, they were to get up, walk up opposite sides of the stage, meet in the middle and receive their rings, and then walk together towards more seats in the center of the room. Alphas that weren’t called are then dismissed. When the ceremony concludes, the parents and guardians of the pairs could come from the seats in the back to meet the new couple.

The thought of having one of those rings on his finger absolutely terrified him. They weren’t just normal rings - they were technologically advanced pieces of equipment. The rings could tell how much time they spent together, how far apart they were at any given time, hormone level testers to signify when heats and ruts were coming up, and, in Yuuri’s case, able to tell whether or not it’s wearer was pregnant. The government paid special attention to these rings. If Yuuri and his alpha spent too much time apart from each other, there would be someone knocking on their door asking why. There was no way to get the rings off once they were embedded in the skin - at least, no way that wasn’t incredibly painful.

“Are you okay? You don’t look so good,” someone was saying. Where they talking to him?

He forced himself to focus on the boy in front of him. He had a dark complexion, warm brown eyes and was sporting a big smile. Yuuri could tell that there was a level of sadness under that smile, but this boy was clearly trying to remain positive.

“Y-yeah,” Yuuri said, trying to breathe. “I’m just, you know…”

“I know,” the boy said. “I’m Phichit. I’m from southern Hasetsu. Nice to meet you!”

“I’m Yuuri. I’m from the east.”

“Not too far from home then, here in the capital. I’m guessing you aren’t looking forward to being matched?”

“Are you?”

“Well, no,” Phichit replied. “Well, maybe a little bit. Not so happy about the whole you don’t get to pick the person you’re going to be spending the rest of your life with thing, but I am looking forward to seeing who I’m most compatible with. I really am glad that they incorporated personality testing into the matches rather than just having it all hormone and mating based.”

Phichit did have a point - they had included a personality test in addition to the blood testing, a factor that had been implemented for maybe three decades now. Before that, matches were made based on fertility levels, genetics and mating compatibility.

“I guess I never thought of it that way,” Yuuri admitted. “It… it could be worse?”

“You bet it could be,” Phichit agreed. “I just hope that whoever I’m paired with, they’re okay with all of my hamsters coming to live with us. I couldn’t bear to leave them at home.”

His own dog, Vicchan, had passed the previous year. He didn’t have to worry about leaving him behind - but leaving also meant leaving his shrine. A new wave of sorrow washed over him. If not for the heavy sent blockers and suppressants that he was forced to take today, he was sure that he would be reeking of omega in distress. He was pretty sure the whole building would be, actually.

“Hey, Yuuri,” Phichit said softly, putting a hand on his arm. “We’ll be okay.”

He took a deep breathe. “Thanks, Phichit. I hope I see you again. Maybe we could be friends.”

“You bet, Yuuri.” 

At least he would walk out of this with a new friend.

The huge double oak doors to the ballroom creaked open slightly, and tall beta woman with a clipboard walked out beside the line, heels clicking on the marble floor.

“Alright, everyone. The ceremony is about to start. Please be respectful during the ceremony. The prime minister is joining us today, so be on your best behavior,” she announced. The whispers started immediately - why was the prime minister at this match ceremony? The woman continued, "When the procession begins, please file into the room and to your seats by following our staff’s directions. Once everyone is seated, the ceremony will start. Are you all ready?”

She didn’t seem surprised by the lack of positive response; perhaps she had performed this omega-wrangling job before. In truth, it didn’t matter if they were ready or not. The oak doors opened wide and the line began to move.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

They had been ushered into the room and seated in an orderly fashion, but Yuuri couldn’t bring himself to look at the alphas seated across the room. All he could do was scan the crowd in the back for his mother. He couldn’t get enough oxygen. His heart was pounding so loud that he could feel it in his ears. He couldn’t do this. 

Phichit’s hand found it’s way on top of his, and it helped to ground him a bit. He wasn’t alone here. His mom was somewhere in this big ballroom. His alpha had been picked based on personality, too. Yuuri hadn’t lied on his personality test, right? Oh no, he couldn’t remember.

What if he didn’t answer one of the questions correctly? What if he and the alpha were incompatible as a result? What if-

“Good morning, citizens of Hasetsu. Match candidates,” the man speaking nodded towards both sides of the room, “family, friends, and our very special guest, Prime Minister Yakov Feltsman.” There was applause. Yuuri just stared at the balding sitting with the rest of the council on stage that stood up and waved at the mention of his name. “Welcome to the 112th Match Ceremony in the great country of Hasetsu. Today, thirty seven omegas will be matched with the alpha most compatible with them out of our current pool. We do our best to ensure that each pair have high chance of success in both their relationship and mating endeavors. Before we begin, I will go over what to expect. When your name is called, please find your way to the stage. We will implant your rings, and then you and your partner will find your way to the seats in the middle of the room. When the ceremony is over, family and friends, feel free to speak with and congratulate our new couples. We will then bring the matches and their family into our offices for paperwork to be signed. Afterwards, omegas are to go home with their alphas, presuming that you followed the instructions and brought your belongings to the capitol with you. 

"You must bond with your partner within the month as it heightens your chances of conception. Conception is expected within the year, allowing for several heats. If two years passes without conception, the council will offer their assistance in helping the matches conceive. All of this information will be found in the packet you will receive following the ceremony. Hasetsu thanks you for your service. We will now begin the ceremony.”

Yuuri couldn’t even process what he had just heard. There was a deadline on bonding? On conceiving? Were the rings tracking their time together not enough?

Names were being called. The matches would always flinch as the rings snapped onto their fingers, digging into their skin. Yuuri wasn’t the best with pain, and he was already so distraught. What if he fainted?

Phichit was called away from him. He gave his new friend a small wave as he left, hoping that maybe he’d have the chance to see him again. He’d like to hear more about his hamsters when he wasn’t on the edge of a breakdown.

Yuuri recognized the name of one of his classmates, a small boy with freckles named Guang Hong. He hoped that he would end up happy. He was the only other omega that he knew in his hometown. 

He held back his tears. He wished they would hurry up. Calling out the names, waiting for them to get up there and putting the rings on one pair was taking quite a while. The audience would politely clap after each match made their way to their seats. He was surprised to see that not everyone looked miserable. There were certainly a lot of sad faces, but more than a few wore smiles that looked genuine.

How could anyone be happy about having something as huge as this decided for them?

“Katsuki Yuuri,” he heard. It sounded like he was underwater.

He sat there for a second, frozen, before he got up. His movements felt heavy, sluggish. He made his way to the stage. He hadn’t been paying attention to the name called before his, but there was already a figure moving towards the stage from the alpha side.

He was moving on autopilot, mechanically taking each step closer and closer to the stage. He couldn’t look anywhere but his feet, praying that he wouldn’t trip and fall face first in front of so many people.

He knew he reached the other side of the stage when a pair of shiny black shoes entered his vision. Warm fingers brushed his hand. He brought himself to look up as his hand was grasped.

The man in front of him had eyes the color of southern shores. They were so vividly blue, looking down at him so softly, sparkling in the lights hitting the stage. Silver hair (yes, silver!) hung in one of his eyes. For some reason the silver didn’t wash him out, as it should of with his porcelain skin, but instead made him look ethereal, like an icy prince from the north. Somehow, he was soft, delicate angles and sharp, defined structure at the same time. 

He wore a genuine smile as he gazed at Yuuri, and Yuuri wondered what expression own his face was wearing. Was the surprise evident on his features? 

“Alpha Victor Nikiforov,” the ring technician said, holding out an expectant hand. The alpha, Victor, dropped Yuuri’s hand and turned away from him, reaching out to receive his ring. Even when he flinched as the ring locked into place, he was beautiful. Yuuri couldn’t look away. 

“Omega Katsuki Yuuri,” the technician said. 

The pain was fleeting but intense, and Yuuri knew that when looking back on this moment, Yuuri wouldn’t remember the feeling of needles slicing his skin - he would remember how concerned ocean eyes watched him, how a soft pad of a thumb wiped a stray tear from his cheek.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went to write the next chapter, but I couldn't stop thinking about Victor's take on the last chapter. I'm not sure how much Victor POV we're going to get throughout the story, but you can probably count on him popping in from time to time!
> 
> Hope you like it! Thank you so much for all of the support!

 

Victor couldn’t take his eyes off of one of the omegas seated on the other side of the room. The head of the match council was speaking, telling them about the procedures for today, but Victor wasn’t listening. It wasn’t like he was telling them anything Victor didn’t already know.

He knew he shouldn’t be staring. Setting his sights on one of the omegas present was pointless - he had already been assigned, and there was only a one in thirty seventh chance that the omega would be the one chosen for him.

The omega was incredibly nervous - Victor could tell from a hundred feet across the room. If everyone hadn’t been on such strong supressants, he was sure the place would be filled with the scent of distressed omega. But while most of the omegas looked nervous, Victor’s looked like he was on the edge of an anxiety attack. Whether due to his instincts or empathetic nature as a person, Victor desperately wished he could go over and calm the beautiful omega.

He felt that beautiful was an understatement. He’d gotten a closer look when he’d first walked in - the omega was distracted and probably hadn’t seen him, but he had sure seen the omega. A sensual, curvaceous body with plush thighs, messy raven hair, and the most adorable big brown eyes that, upon further inspection, Victor was sure contained flecks of red, just like cinnamon. Victor suspected he was from the Eastern part of Hasetsu. He would have ventured closer, probably would have introduced himself had his uncle not smacked him on the back of the head and tugged him along to the forming line of alphas.

His alpha side was dying to know what he smelled like. There was something inside of him, maybe instinct, maybe optimism, that told Victor the omega belonged with him. He hoped the match council’s tests had agreed.

He was snapped out of his trance when suddenly became aware that his best friend was no longer by his side. Christophe was up on stage, standing next the male omega that had just been seated next to the object of his admiration. They were getting their rings. Victor couldn’t lie, the idea of having a ring put on his finger terrified him. It was supposed to hurt, of course, but it was also essentially giving up all of his freedom. That ring would know where he was all the time. It would know intimate details about his relationship with his partner. It was like having the government looking over his shoulder all the time. He wouldn’t be surprised if they were listening, too.

“Victor Nikiforov.”

It was time. It was the moment of truth. Who was he going to be paired with? Obviously they would be a stranger - the one omega that he did know had already been paired off, and he really hadn’t wanted her to be his mate. The gorgeous omega he had his eye on was still seated - so there was still a chance. At the very least, he was hoping for a male omega. They weren’t as common as females, but he had always had a preference for men. There were only two male omegas left from the four that had been there before.

He was halfway to the stage when his omega’s name was called. He held his breathe.

“Katsuki Yuuri.”

No one moved. A moment of hope - that sounded like it could be male’s name.

And then his angel stood. Katsuki - wait, maybe his name was Yuuri? Victor   felt like he had learned something long ago about the people of the East doing something different with their names.

Victor couldn’t be happier with how this had turned out. That’s not to say that he was magically okay with the whole ceremony - obviously the whole system was unfair, and some may argue totally unneeded after having been implemented for over a century. The alpha and omega populations had risen. They might not be as high as they had once been a thousand years ago, when primal instincts ruled over the heart, but they were definitely no longer near extinction. But if he had to be matched, at least he was being matched to someone that he probably would have tried to court on his own.

He was so elated that he wasn’t even thinking about how awful it was going to be to have that ring put on as he reached the middle of the stage.

His beautiful omega (his!) was making his way there, too, but he seemed to be staring down at his feet. Poor thing, he must be terrified. Victor vowed to do everything that he could to make this transition smoother for his new mate. At least there wouldn’t be a super long drive to his new home - Victor lived on the outskirts of the capital. He had been preparing his home for months now, ever since he got the summons for the ceremony a month after he turned twenty one. He hadn’t been matched with any of the omegas from the previous year, but now he was thankful. The match council must have matched him to Katsuki Yuuri the previous year and had him wait. 

He suspected that due to his status, the council made sure that he had a very compatible mate. He wondered if his uncle had approved of the match beforehand. 

When Katsuki Yuuri stopped in front of him, still staring at his shoes, Victor couldn’t help but reach out and take his hand. This was the beginning of what would (hopefully) be a enjoyable relationship for them. Victor was very eager to get to know the beautiful man that was going to be his life partner.

The beautiful omega looked up, and Victor could have cried. There really were flecks of red in his eyes - Victor was looking forward to counting all of the different shades in his eyes.

The omega was looking at him with wide eyes, soft lips parted ever so lightly. Victor knew that he was considered handsome, but he hoped that his match found him attractive. Hopefully his match would be as pleased with Victor as Victor was with him.

“Alpha Victor Nikiforov.”

Oh, the ring technician. He reluctantly dropped his omega’s hand in order to offer them his right hand. The snapped the ring into place and there was an awful click, followed by a slow and painful grind - he couldn’t keep himself from flinching, even if he wanted to appear strong and composed in front of his new mate. 

“Omega Katsuki Yuuri.”

There was fear in the omega’s eyes, but he didn’t look away from Victor as the ring technician put the ring in place. 

The alpha side of Victor was roaring to protect his match from the pain, to whisk the omega away from the technician, but Victor knew he couldn’t. All he could do was wipe the omega’s tears away, and promise himself that he would try his best to make Katsuki Yuuri happy. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *walks in several months late with starbucks*

It didn’t hit him until they were seated - watching the last few omegas and alphas be paired off, Victor’s hand a tight grip on his – that he realized what had just happened.

There was a ring on his finger - a plain gold band on the ring finger of his right hand that glinted in the overhead lights of the ballroom. His left hand was in Victor’s, resting on top of his left knee. Victor’s thumb was absent-mindedly stroking his hand.

That had really just happened.

He kept his nervous eyes focused on the stage. Their faces weren’t familiar. He wasn’t really seeing, anyway; his mind was racing too fast to actually pay attention to what was happening.

Yuuri could feel Victor’s gaze every time he looked over at him. Could Victor sense how terrified he was? He was about to have to leave his family and travel to wherever Victor lived, where he would be expected to be a perfect, darling omega. That’s what he’d been prepared for – as soon as he presented, he was put onto the “omega track” at his school. They switched out some of his classes (like math and physical education, which he had really enjoyed) for home economics and cooking. He had been groomed for this, but now the reality was hitting him in the face and he just couldn’t do it-

Victor squeezed his hand; he was standing. Yuuri hurried to follow. The ceremony was ending; one of the council members was giving closing remarks. His family was going to find him soon to say their last goodbyes; his mother had taken him a bit earlier due to the checking-in process, but his father and sister, Mari, were definitely in the audience somewhere. And Victor’s family – what were they like? Would they approve of Yuuri? Oh, what if they didn’t like him and demanded the council rematch Victor? He had heard horror stories of that happening.

Victor weaved his fingers between Yuuri’s. “Let’s find our families. I can’t wait to meet yours.”

“Y-yes,” Yuuri nodded, letting Victor tug him away from the rows of seats.

Hiroko found them first, pulling Yuuri into a tight hug. His father, Toshiya, and Mari were tight on her heels.

“Oh, Yuuri, you did great,” his mother said softly in his ear. “Everything will be alright. See how he looks at you.”

“Victor Nikiforov,” Victor introduced himself, holding out a hand for Toshiya to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, Victor, I’m Toshiya, and this is my wife, Hiroko, and our oldest, Mari,” his father smiled.

When Victor turned to greet Hiroko, she bypassed his hand and pulled him down into a hug. “Oh, Victor, wonderful to meet you. Please take care of our Yuuri. Oh, and call me Mom!”

Yuuri couldn’t help but cringe at his mother’s forwardness, but there was an incredibly soft look in Victor’s eyes as he replied, “Okay, Mom.”

“Be good to him,” Mari said by way of introducing herself, shaking Victor’s hand.

“Of course,” Victor said seriously. Mari seemed okay with his answer.

“Victor! There you are,” a gruff voice boomed. They turned to see Prime Minister Feltsman walking over to them. Wait, was Victor his son? He couldn’t see the resemblance between the short, stocky man and the tall ice prince beside him.

“Yakov! This is my Yuuri and his lovely family,” Victor smiled, putting an arm around Yuuri’s waist. “Yuuri, family, this is my Uncle, Yakov. He basically raised me.”

“Nice to meet you, Prime Minister,” Yuuri said meekly. This man was intimidating; it was hard to tell what he was thinking with those stone cold eyes and serious expression as the rest of his family introduced themselves, but his eyes seemed to warm when he looked at Yuuri.

“Please, call me Yakov,” he replied. “Where are you all from?”

“A small town in the east, a few hours by train,” Toshiya replied. “Yutopia. We own an onsen there.”

“Ah, not too far, then. Were you planning on returning home tonight?” His family nodded, and Yakov seemed thoughtful. “I insist you stay for dinner. Our estate is not too far from here.”

A few more hours with his family? Not living too far from Yutopia? His body almost sagged in relief, and the arm around his waist seemed to tense to support the action.

“That sounds lovely,” Hiroko smiled.

They introduced themselves to Yakov as well as his wife, Lilia. It wasn’t long before they had all of their paperwork signed were heading towards their cars; the entire process had passed in a fog. Yuuri's only confirmation that it happened was the informational packet in his grip.

As the two families began to separate after giving directions to the estate, Yuuri found himself torn. Should he ask to ride with his family and return to that place of comfort for at least another few minutes or go with Victor and try to dive headfirst into this new situation?

In the end, Victor made the decision for him.

“Would you like to ride with me? I came separately from Yakov and Lila – maybe it would be a nice opportunity to talk?”

Yuuri bit his lip. “That…that sounds okay.”

Victor flashed him a dazzling smile and tugged him away from either family. They walked up to a sleek black Mercedes, where he was quick to open a blushing Yuuri’s door for him. Yuuri found the gesture sweet – maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all? Victor seemed genuinely happy to have been matched with him. He couldn’t imagine why.

“I know that this is all a bit overwhelming,” Victor said as he started the car and headed off down unfamiliar roads. “But I’m very eager to get to know you, Yuuri, and hopeful that this is the beginning of a good relationship.”

“I hope so, too,” Yuuri replied softly, trying to keep his voice steady. This was beginning to feel all too real as Victor used the hand not on the steering wheel to take Yuuri’s hand.

“We can take our time,” Victor told him. They were driving now, but Victor’s eyes glanced over every few moments. “I will not pressure you before you are ready. We have all the time in the world.”

Yuuri looked down at the information packet sitting in his lap, at the expected timeline in the middle of the first page. “The council says otherwise,” he whispered, unable to keep his voice from shaking.

There was a reassuring squeeze on his hand. “I have never been one to follow the rules,” Victor chuckled, “and I would love the chance to court you properly.”

Yuuri’s gaze snapped towards Victor. “You would?”

“Absolutely. First, though, I think it would be nice for us to learn a bit about each other. For example, what’s your favorite animal?”

Yuuri’s mind was in overdrive. Victor wanted to court him? Victor seemed… happy to be matched to him? But…Yuuri had been an anxiety-ridden mess throughout the entire process. There was no way Victor hadn’t noticed, and yet he still seemed warm and welcoming?

Maybe Victor was just trying to make the best of a bad situation; it wasn’t like he could trade Yuuri in yet. Maybe he would refuse to bond him, and the council would be forced to give Victor a new match-

“Yuuri?” Victor said softly.

“O-oh, um,” he stuttered.

“What’s your favorite animal?”

“A dog.”

“Oh, wonderful!” Victor exclaimed. “I have a standard poodle! Her name is Makkachin. I can’t wait for you to meet her! She’s getting older, but she still has the energy of a puppy.”

Yuuri couldn’t help but smile. “I look forward to meeting her.”

“She will love you, I can tell,” Victor grinned. “See, that’s something we already have in common. We both love dogs. I wonder what else we have in common. Tell me some things about yourself!”

“I, um,” Yuuri said. “My parents run an onsen, so I grew up helping out there. It’s like, um, an inn with hot springs? In my free time, I would go to a family friend’s studio to dance. Then she encouraged to try ice skating, so I do that sometimes.”

“I also enjoy ice skating!” Victor beamed. “We don’t have a rink at the estate – just a pond that sometimes freezes over – but there is one nearby. We’ll have to go together!”

“I would like that,” Yuuri said, realizing all at once how Victor had snapped him from his spiraling thoughts. Maybe… they were really a good match. Maybe this would all be okay.


	5. Chapter 5

Yuuri wasn’t sure what he had expected from the prime minister’s estate, but it certainly wasn’t _that_.

Victor waved to the guards as the gates opened up to a long, paved road lined with meticulously groomed trees. Through them, Yuuri saw nothing but green, sprawling land until it disappeared into a tree-line so far away that it looked like a line of ants. Eventually the trees stopped at a roundabout of sorts with a fountain in the middle. Victor easily maneuvered the car around the curve and off onto one of the three roads.

“I’m taking us to my Uncle’s,” Victor explained. “But he has given us one of the homes on the estate that will be our primary residence. I will show you after dinner; I’ve been having work done on it ever since I presented.”

“Okay,” Yuuri replied, trying not to think about being alone with Victor after dinner. “How many homes are here?”

“Three: the main house and then two smaller ones. I guess it’s more of a compound than an estate, but there is plenty of land between them. Anyways, it’s been in the family for generations, and at some point the additional homes were built so that the family could expand and be together while still maintaining privacy.”

“That’s nice,” Yuuri breathed as the main house came into view. Honestly, he was having trouble coming up with a word to describe the building in front of him because ‘house’ just wasn’t cutting it. Mansion? No. Chateau? It was a tall, beautiful thing made of beige, white brick and a million windows.

Suddenly, Victor seemed less like a prime minister’s nephew and more like a crown prince.

When Victor pulled up in front of the house, the rest of their party was already there. Yakov was helping Toshiya take Yuuri’s things out of the Katsuki’s car. His few suitcases were stacked neatly on the curb, a reminder of everything he couldn’t take with him. Victor popped the trunk on his car and loaded them in with ease.

The families went inside and gathered in a living room. Yuuri tried not to notice the butlers and maids flitting about the house, nor the grandeur of all of the furnishings around them. He was feeling very small, very inadequate, but he tried to keep it from showing as their families made small talk. They were talking of what holidays would be hosted where, and so on and so forth. Yuuri tried to pay attention, but he was distracted by his thoughts and by the hand warming his knee.

Eventually, dinner was served. It was a pleasant affair – he was happy to find that the families got along. Stories were told from both sides; Yuuri made sure to pay extra attention to any that involved his new husband. All too soon, dinner was over and goodbyes were being said. Yuuri stood out in front of Yakov and Lilia’s home, hugging each member of his family goodbye while his new family looked on.

“It won’t be the same without you, little brother, but we’ll be seeing you often!” Mari encouraged. “You don’t live too far.”

“Absolutely, sweetheart,” Hiroko said, wiping his tears from his cheeks. “This isn’t goodbye.” Her voice lowered. “And I really do think everything will be alright, Yuuri.”

He watched them drive off with silent tears making their way down his cheeks before turning back to Victor. Yakov and Lilia had gone back inside to give them privacy, it seemed, and for that he was grateful.

“I know it isn’t home yet,” Victor said, “but I’d love to show you our place.”

Yuuri could only nod as his match took his hand and led him back to the car. This time, at the roundabout, Victor took a different path that led to what must be their house. It was the same style as the main mansion but on a smaller scale - still far grander than anywhere Yuuri had ever been.

A man with dark hair and a woman with hair like a flame – two betas – stood by the door to greet them.

“This is our butler, Georgi, and our maid Mila,” Victor introduced them. “Normally a whole team of people would run this house, but I felt that it would be less overwhelming to limit the number. There is a chef, Seung-gil, as well, but his first day is tomorrow. They will be staying in the staff quarters of the main house.”

“Wonderful to meet you, Mr. Nikiforov. Mr. Katsuki.” Mila did a quick curtsey.

Yuuri looked towards Victor, confused. “Is my last name still Katsuki?”

“You will be called whatever you wish,” Victor supplied.

While Georgi and Mila unloaded Yuuri’s suitcases from the car, Victor gave him a tour of the house. On the outside, the home looked much like his uncle’s, but on the inside, it was clear that some remodeling had been done. The furnishings, while still luxurious, were not same the priceless antiques as in the main house. This place felt warm and welcoming, cozy yet modern. Natural light poured in from the many windows, giving the neutral colors of the décor a clean, fresh appearance.

It smelled faintly of fresh ice and peppermint – was this Victor’s scent lingering around corners? It was extremely pleasant, even diluted as it was. Yuuri was intrigued – hopefully the scent blockers he had taken for the ceremony would wear off soon.

“Downstairs, we have the foyer, two sitting rooms, two bathrooms the main living room, a library, my office, the kitchen and the dining room,” Victor said, naming each room as he led Yuuri through them. Yuuri couldn’t help the small smile on his face as Victor showed him around like a proud child showing everyone their new drawing. “The main staircase is the only staircase in the house. There used to be two, but I felt that was a bit excessive,” Victor laughed as he climbed the stairs, as if this huge house wasn’t excessive for two people. “Upstairs, we have three suites, including the master, two more bathrooms, and a suite that I have converted into a movie theater and game room.”

“Wow,” Yuuri breathed, taking a look around the movie theater, complete with high-end projector, huge screen and several black comfy-looking recliners.

“I packed this closet over here with all of my favorite films,” Victor beamed. “Maybe we could watch all of our favorite movies together?”

Yuuri nodded. “That sounds nice.”

Victor took his hand once more and led back to the suite entrances, where Georgi and Mila were waiting with his things. “Okay, now,” he began, “I know this is a lot to take in, and there are probably a million thoughts racing through your head right now, but I wanted to present this decision to you.”

Yuuri glanced at the staff nervously, but nodded stiffly.

“This is my suite,” Victor said, gesturing to a set of double doors. “ _Our_ suite. But if you would like to stay in your own rooms” – he motioned towards the others – “I will completely understand. I want to take this at your pace. Say the word and we will set your things wherever you’d like.”

His gaze lingered on his suitcases and then found it’s way to Victor’s doors. _Their_ doors.

Part of him told him to take the separate rooms, to take the privacy. That way, if he had a breakdown, Victor wouldn’t know. He could hide his distress; he could build a nest, bury himself in it, and not worry about what Victor would think.

The other part told him that the government could see their proximity. That Victor seemed nice, and maybe it wouldn’t be too bad to stay close to him – he was, after all, the most familiar thing to him here, even if only by a few hours. His instincts told him, in the very back of his mind, to go ahead and settle down with his alpha so he wouldn’t have to move his nest later.

And so, he made up his mind.

“It c-can be our s-suite,” Yuuri forced out, looking down at his feet. “If you d-don’t mind.”

“I would be honored,” Victor replied softly as two fingers lifted his chin so their eyes could meet. His match gave him a warm smile. “Let’s get you settled!”


End file.
